Folding boat.



' N0." 781,052.= Y P TENTED JAN. 31, 1905.

- "L. s. DEAL & A. D. GUTOHES.

FOLDING BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED APR.13, 1904. I.

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FOLDING BOAT.

APPLIOATIONTILBD APR. 1a, 1904.

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' The objects of the invention are, first, to

UNITED STATES Patentedd'anuary 31, 1905.

, PATENT uOFFICE.

LYNN. S. DEAL AND ADDISON D. GUTOHES, OF KALAMA ZOO, MICHIGAN.

FOLDING BOAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 781,052, dated January31, 1905.

Application filed April 18,1904. Serial No, 203,021.

To all whom it may concern.-

' Be it known that we, LYNNS. DEAL and AD- DISON D. Gu'roHEs, citizensof the United States, residing at Kalamazoo, in the county of Kalamazooand State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding Boats, of which. the following is a specification. w v Thisinvention relates to certain new and useful improvements infolding boatsorboats having a flexible skin of canvas or other suitable material; andthe invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangementof parts hereinafter described and claimed.

produce a folding bottom or keel for boats having a flexible skin, sothat the same may be folded into a compact form; second, to

produce a folding boat-bottom which will contain the greatest strengthwhen unfolded consistent with lightness; third, 'to. so construct aboat-bottom that it will rest from end to end on the framework of theboat to which it is applied; fourth, to produceafoldingboatend sectionslie in spaces between the slats forming the central section, the slatsof both sections lying in the same plane when folded; fifth, otherobjects hereinafter pointed out and claimed. These objects we accomplishby means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 shows a plan view of the boatbody unfolded. Fig. 2 showsa longitudinal sectional view of a boat with ourfolding bottom partiallyinserted therein, illustrating the method of applying the same to aboat. Fig.

3 is a plan v1ew, on an enlarged scale,"of the .folding bottom, the endsections being folded into the central section.

Fig. 4 shows an edge view of the parts shown in Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and 6show a sectional View on the dotted lines indicated by arrows near theleft-hand end of the central section in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 shows a sectionalview on the line of the arrows near the extreme right of Fig. 1,illustrating the means of attaching together the bottom and the boatproper.

bottom is extended, it is locked in its extendedv longitudinal divisionshereinafter described. Fig. 8 shows a longitudinal sectional view of theattaching extenslon, which engages with whatis termed the keelextension, the same tire bottom is composed of two whatmay-be termedlongitudinal divisions. These longitudinal divisions are preferably ofunequal size and are furnished with suitable means for attachmenttogether. Each division is composed of a central section and two endsections which can be folded into the central section, so that the slatsof the end sections and the slats of the central section are in the sameplane, presenting no greater thickness when folded than when unfolded.the longitudinal divisions is provided at either end with suitable meansfor engagement with what is termed the keelextension, thereby making afirm connection between the boat- When the boatposition by meanshereinafter described, so

as to possess great strength. The longitudinal divisions'are providedwith suitable means for attaching the same together at their adjacentedges, and the construction is such that the end sections can be foldedinto the middle section without separating the longitudinal divisions,or the longitudinal divisions may be first separated and then the endsections folded into their corresponding central section. The lattermethod is ordinarily used when the folding boat-bottom is packed forstorage or for transportation. The central section of one of thedivisions is shown by A and of the other division by A.

a a are the folding end sections, which are pivoted to the section A,anda a are the end sections, which are pivotally connected to thecentral section A.

In the example of our invention shown -1n the drawings sections a a areprovlded wlth One of extensions at their ends, as shown by B B, whichextensions B B engage with what is termed the keel extension B.

Each folding section is provided with a strap, preferably of iron orother suitable metal, (shown by 7),) there being a strap for each endsection, the strap 6 at one end being attached to one side of the slatsof the end section and at the other end to the other side of the slatsof the end section. This is shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and I. Infolding the sections together at one end the fold is in a differentdirection from the other end, so that when the end sections are foldedupon the central section the strap 6 at one end lies above the slats ofthe central section and at the other end below. This is shown clearly inFig. 4.

b is an eye upon one of the straps b, which engages with the hook 5" onthe strap Z) of its corresponding section. This is shown in Fig. 7, I)and 6 being shown in engagement.

0 is a strengthening-strap attached to the ends of the slats which formthe central section. The positions of these straps are shown moreclearly in Fig. 3.

(i (Z are bolts passing through the slats, connecting the centralsection to the end sections in such a manner that the end sections maybe readily folded. The ends of the end sections project beyond thebolts, so that the sliding locking device may engage the ends of theseslats when the end section is unfolded and retain the end section in theunfolded position, said end section when unfolded resting against theconnecting-strap c.

The locking devices are shown by e a, consisting of metal bars havingclips 6 e, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. When the end sec tion is open,this locking device is slipped over to engage with the ends of the slatsof the section. To unlock the same,it is moved backward, so as torelease the ends of the slats on the end sections, allowing the endsections to be folded over the central section. In Fig. 2 the lockingdevice 0 is moved out of position, so as to allow the section shown atthe left end of the figure to be folded or unfolded.

In applying the folding boat-bottom to a boat the two divisions may beattached together and one end of the boat-bottom thus attached engaged,as shown at the right in Fig. 2, with the keel extension B. The sectionat the other end of the boat-bottom may be bent down. as shown also insaid figure, until the socket B will engage with the extension B, shownat the left of the figure, when by pressing down the bottom will lie onthe framework of the boat, and the locking device 0 can thus be moved soas to engage with the ends of the slats of the end section and retainthe same in a securely-locked position. W hen the boat-bottom is crowdeddown into place, it rests upon the framework of the boat from end to endand also crowds out the keel extension B into contact with the ends ofthe boat.

The boat-body is folded in the ordinary manner of collapsible boats, andwhen the bottom is folded and packed the body of the boat may also befolded and packed with it.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim to have invented,anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a folding boat, the combination of a flexible skin and framework,a boat-bottom composed of a central section and end sections pivotall yconnected to the said central section, said central section and endsections composed of longitudinal slats, the slats of the end sectionsfolding into the spaces between the slats of the central section, andsuitable means for engaging the folding bottom when unfolded with thebody of the boat.

2. In combination with a flexible skin of a folding boat, a boat-bottomcomposed of a central section made of longitudinal slats, end sectionsmade of longitudinal slats which fold into the spaces between the slatsof the central section, pivotal connections between the central sectionand the end sections, and suitable means for locking the end sectionsand central section in their open position.

3. The combination with a flexible skin and framework of a folding boatof a boat-bottom composed of a central section made of longitudinalslats having spaces between said slats, end sections made oflongitudinal slats having spaces, which end sections fold into thespaces between the slats of the central section, pivotal connectionsbetween the central section and the end sections and suitable means forengaging the said unfolded bottom to the boat, and suitable means forunlocking the said unfolded bottom in its unfolded position.

4. The combination in a folding boat of a flexible skin, a foldingbottom having a central section and end sections pivotal] y connectedtogether, said end and central sections constructed of longitudinalslats, the ends of the said sections being pivotally connected to thecentral section, the slats of the end sections folding between the slatsof the central section and connecting-straps on the ends of the endsections, one of said straps lying upon one side and the other upon theother side of the central section when the end sections are folded, andsuitable means for connecting the said unfolded bottom to the body ofthe boat.

5. In a folding boat-bottom the combination of a'eentral sectioncomposed of slats having open spaces between said slats, end sectionscomposed of slats having open spaces, the slats on the end sectionsfolding between the slats in the central section, and a pivotalconnection between the end sections and the central section.

6. In a folding boat a central section composed of longitudinal slats,pivotal connec- IIO tions between the end sections and the centralsection whereby the end sections are folded so that the slats of the endsections lie between a the slats of the central section, means carriedsections ma, composed of slats, said 'end secv tions folding into thecentral section, connecting-straps 66 secured to the ends of the endslats, one of said straps lying on one side of the central section andone on the other side of the said central section when folded, anextension B at each end of said bottom adapted to engage with theframework of the boat.

8. In combination with the skin and framework of a boat-bottom composedof two longitudinal divisions, each division composed of a centralsection and two end sections, the end sections and the central sectionbemg composed of slats, pivotal connections between the central sectionsand the end sections, both of the said end sections folding into thecentral section, locking means for retaining the end sections andcentral section in their unfolded position, and meansfor engaging thefolding bottom when unfolded with the framework of the boat,substantially as described.

9. A folding boat-bottom composed of the following parts, to wit: acentral section A composed of slats, end sections a 64 also com posed ofslats, said sections being pivotally connected, a strap 6 on each of thesaid sections, said end sections adapted to fold into the centralsection, one on either side thereof in such a manner that one strap 5lies on one side of the central section and one on the other side whensaid end sections are folded into the central section.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

LYNN s. DEAL. ADDISON D. GUTCHES.

Witnesses:

H. N. ELWELL, ASHLEY CLAPP.

